The more adventuresome might head to Siberia to visit Irkutsk & travel to lake Baikal – the Pearl of Siberia, a world nature wonder in its own right. The location of Baikal lake is the southern part of eastern Siberia within the Republic of Buryatia and Irkutsk oblast (province) of Russia. The lake basin is located in an ancient rift depression of glacial origin.
Baikal contains some 45 islets and islands, the largest of which are Olkhon (about 270 square miles) and Bolshoy Ushkany (3,6 square miles). The breathtaking beauty of Baikal is almost unearthly & rightfully known as the real Pearl of Siberia. Lake Baikal has been celebrated in several Russian folk songs. Some of these songs are well known in Japan.
Interesting facts
Baikal Lake is the oldest lake (25 million years) in the world, it was seen by dinosaurs
The deepest lake on Earth, depth 1620 m
In 1996 it was included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The largest lake in the world by volume(it holds 20% of the earth’s liquid fresh water)
9% or 1/5 of all world clean water reserves
Freezes in winter almost completely, clear ice up to 2 m thick